


A blade that hungers for blood

by LucidWords



Category: Xenoblade Chronicles
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Blood and Gore, Blood and Violence, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Nightmares, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Spoilers, Stabbing, Torture, Torture with plot, but like its not shipping it's just Bad, dunban can't have nice things, how do i relationship tag someone actively tormenting the other person
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:14:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26311732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LucidWords/pseuds/LucidWords
Summary: The Monado was a cursed blade, one that violently rejected all who dared try to use its power, and taking harsh payment from those who persisted.Unfortunately for Dunban, he was the only one willing to suffer the consequences.
Relationships: Dunban/Zanza (Xenoblade Chronicles)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 10





	1. Initiation

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a oneshot.....
> 
> Anyways, zanza tortures dunban fic except there's an actual plot. I think.

The Monado was a cursed blade. This was a well known fact among the Homs who tried to use it.

They needed it to fight the Mechon, yet whoever tried to use it would have the Monado pull their bodies around until they were able to let go of it.

That is, if it didn't try to kill them first.

Dunban had been selected as one of the next candidates to try using it, with Mumkhar as runner-up. It was the natural choice, considering their reputation as overachieving rivals.

"Now remember," Dickson said, handing the red blade to Dunban, "the Monado might consume a lot of your ether, according to Shulk. So keep an eye out for that. But if you can control it, you'll be like a hero! So... good luck!"

Dickson was enthusiastic as always. 

Dunban gave an amused chuckle, carefully holding the Monado. "You say that like the Monado didn't fry the last two people who picked it up."

"Eh, they were sneaking around in the lab. They should know there's a reason we don't let just anyone touch it."

"True. Well then, I suppose I should get started."

Dunban carried the Monado away from the gathered group of people, towards the training dummies and empty crates that had been set up as mock targets. He looked back to the small crowd, spotting Fiora, Shulk, and Reyn clustered beside Dickson. Fiora had a worried expression painted on her face, while the two boys just looked excited to watch. There were more soldiers gathered further back, including Mumkhar, who was apparently peeved about not being the first pick.

Maybe I shouldn't have let Fiora come watch me get shocked half to death.

The Monado fired up to life in his hands, as if to spite him for his moment of regret. Electricity crackled over the blade and shot up his arms. His breath caught in his throat and Dunban grit his teeth, barely holding back a scream at the shock of pain.

The blade suddenly swung upwards, almost knocking him off balance, before swinging forward, dragging him with it. 

So, it was going to be like that, huh?

He continued moving forwards, carefully directing himself towards the training dummies. He kept his grip firm, pushing down the pain, waiting to feel it try to move again. It tugged on his hands, and he pushed the momentum of the tug towards a target. The blade cut straight through, and he felt the forceful tug ease a bit.

Perhaps the Monado was simply trying to find a target?

Dunban forced his movements to still. He took a few steadying breaths. He had to work with the Monado, not directly against it. It shook violently, sparks dancing across its surface. 

"Work with me, Monado," he whispered in a near prayer.

It allowed him to lift it up and swing it down on another target. The blade seemed to calm a bit, becoming more receptive to his attempts. He swung it at a few more targets, the pain and struggle easing.

Once the last target was destroyed, the Monado deactivated, and he nearly collapsed from the sudden rush of exhaustion. He panted and slowly lowered himself to one knee, using the sword to keep himself steady.

"Is that.. enough...?" 

Dickson approached him and clapped him on the back. "Well, that's the best control of that thing I've seen in the colony! Unless it turns out Mumkhar can control it better, I'd say you'll be the one using it, eh?"

Dunban gave the older man a cocky grin. "That's what I'm hoping for. Tell Mumkhar it packs a punch though; I feel like I could sleep for a year!"

"Hah! Well, get your rest, Beast. I'll tell you how his shot with it goes tomorrow."

"Thanks, Dickson."

* * *

Dunban was out like a light the moment he climbed into bed.

He expected a dreamless sleep, but alas, he got something far worse.

He was standing in the training grounds again, holding the Monado. Somehow he knew he was dreaming, which was entirely unusual.

Before he could get his bearings and start looking around, the Monado activated. It shocked him far worse than it had in reality, forcing him to his knees with a scream. A dark laugh resounded around him, then the shock eased to something more tolerable, if still painful.

Claws dug into his shoulders from behind, and the distinct feeling of someone hovering over his right side appeared.

"You wish to use my power?" the presence whispered, a hint of glee in their tone. "It comes with a price, for an unholy thing such as you to use it. I wonder how long until you'll refuse to pay it?"

Their breath was hot on his cheek, almost burning. Dunban stared straight forward, not risking what might happen should he turn his head towards them. "What-" the claws dug in a little bit deeper, "-What are you?"

Another, shorter laugh. "I expect that even a Homs can figure that out."

Dunban's gaze flickered down to the Monado still in his hands. 

"There we go, I knew you could figure it out. Now then, why don't I take my first payment?"  The apparent Monado's grip receded, but was swiftly replaced by a hard kick to his back, shoving him hard to the ground. His breath  was  knocked out of him, and he gasped for air to return to his lungs.

"I wonder how your pain tolerance is...?" the Monado mused, digging their heel into his spine, "I'll need to know for the future. Let us find out!"

The foot lifted, then Dunban received a swift kick to his ribs. He wheezed in pain, and the Monado seemed to allow him a moment to catch his breath. He managed to let go of the sword, and pushed himself up to his hands and knees. 

Why was this happening? What kind of nightmare was this?

He tried to speak, but only coughed instead. The Monado laughed.

"Good, very good start!"

Anticipating the next attack, Dunban sucked in a breath and rolled over to the side just as a dagger landed where his right hand was, twisting his body so he was crouched and facing his attacker. 

He had only a moment to look, and take in the blurred, humanoid form in front of him. They were basked in a gentle, golden glow, and seemingly clothed in white, but any particular details slipped his mind, strangely.

The Monado lunged forward, dagger in hand, and stabbed him in the shoulder. Dunban let out a short yell, and responded with a swift punch. The swing only met air, and the glowing form screeched in rage.

"How DARE you try to strike at me!"

The dagger twisted in his shoulder, and he was shoved down on his back. The sharp pain screamed through his body, but he managed to desperately grab the arm shoving the blade into him. They straddled his hips, pinning him to the ground.

"You should be grateful I did not take your life when you used my sword! Apologize for striking at me!" their other hand dug nails into his arm, until he released his grip.

"Why should I-?!" Dunban hissed.

The Monado smacked his face.

"You weak Homs require my merciful blessing to fight those disgusting Mechon, do you not? As such, I will not allow such disrespect of me!"

Through the stinging pain, he recognized that as true. They did need the Monado, and even though he knew this was a dream, it felt real enough to think twice about continuing to enrage this entity.

He took a moment to steady himself, staring up at the angry being leaning over him. Even close up like this, most details of the Monado's appearance wouldn't stick, though he vaguely recognized blond hair framing their face.

"Fine," Dunban managed to say with a steady tone, despite how his body shook from pain, "I apologize for striking at you."

"I would typically expect a better apology," they snapped, slowly sliding the dagger out of Dunban, "but as this is your first offense, I will permit it to slide."

They climbed off him, leaving Dunban to bleed on the ground at their feet.

"You've ruined my fun for the night. I'll allow you to continue using my power, but don't assume this is a one time payment, pathetic Homs."

The Monado turned and walked away. 


	2. Paralysis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Monado returns to finish taking what it couldn't last time.
> 
> (alternate joke chapter title: zanza the sleep paralysis demon)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings for this chapter!  
> Stabbing, Sleep Paralysis, descriptions of blood, mild blood consumption? Zanza is being creepy.

"So, nightmares, huh?" Dickson peered at Dunban over his glass of alcohol.

A bottle of some Nopon brewed drink Dickson brought sat in the middle of the table, tempting Dunban to refill his glass.

"Childish, I know. What kind of man still has nightmares at 26?" he said, then took the bottle and poured himself more.

"Eh, more people than you think, especially in your position."

Dunban raised a brow. "What ever do you mean?"

"I mean," Dickson leaned forward, idly swirling the liquid in his cup, "it's not unusual for people to have nightmares after touching the Monado. Though it's usually only for the night after. But, I suspect using the Monado more than once would lead to more of 'em."

Ah, so his nightmare might continue. Terrible. 

"How do you figure that?"

"Shulk hounds everyone who tries to use it for information on what it does to them. I have a feeling he'll be after you too as soon as your sister releases you from house arrest." Dickson laughed.

"And here I thought I would get a days worth of rest. By the way, how is Mumkhar? I noticed he didn't join us for drinks."

Dickson grinned. "Poor sap couldn't handle it more than thirty seconds! The thing practically threw itself out of his hands, then shocked him when he tried to pick it back up!"

"Oh dear." Dunban sipped his own drink, savoring the gentle burn in his throat. "That must have been a blow to his pride."

"Sure was! And you should've seen his face when Shulk went to check on the Monado while completely ignoring him. I almost thought he was gonna kill someone!"

Dunban chuckled. "Ah, well, send him my condolences for missing the show. And buy him a drink for me."

"Will do. Now, how 'bout we get another drink in you?"

* * *

It was well past midnight when he managed to stumble up the stairs and collapse on the bed. He didn't think to bother changing, content to just roll onto his back and welcome the darkness of sleep.

But as fate would have it, his peace would not last.

Dunban's mind was suddenly alert. He opened his eyes, only to be faced with the realization that he could not move a single part of the rest of his body. He was paralyzed. Above him loomed the Monado, intently studying him in his frozen state. They were still blurry, surrounded by that faint golden aura, with a hand under their chin in thought.

What's going on? Dunban wanted to ask.

As if to answer the unspoken question, they tilted their head with what Dunban knew was a grin. "I see you're awake now. Didn't I tell you I would return for further payment? I left early last time, after all."

What? No! How was he supposed to try and defend himself if he was frozen like this?

The being procured an ornate dagger, and held it up for a moment to his face. The blade and hilt were strangely white, with etchings of gold curling across it. They lowered it to his neck and traced it across, then did the same down his chest.

"Isn't your current state fascinating? I didn't even need to do anything for you to be frozen like this." The knife dragged across his abdomen, making a light, thin cut. "Rather, the body of a Homs will paralyze itself in certain stages of sleep, in order to prevent itself from acting out dreams."

The knife moved back up, to his shoulders. Dunban hissed gently through his teeth, heart pounding in his chest.

" Occasionally ," they continued, "a Homs will wake up, but their body still believes them to be asleep. In those cases, the Homs will hallucinate vividly, as if they were still dreaming. Interesting, hm?  After all, it is allowing me to do _this_."

The dagger was slashed across his bicep, but his body only allowed him a short gasp of pain. Blood flowed out of the wound, and pooled between his arm and chest. The Monado laughed above him, a sharp and mocking sound. They slashed again, leaving a gash across his chest, then aimed the knife below Dunban's eye. They hummed, then made a slow, stinging cut down his cheek. He could only stare up at this cruel entity, water blurring his vision further. He tried to blink back the tears, but instead they ran down his face. He felt pathetic, allowing this thing to force through his typically unshakable exterior.

"Aw, how cute, you're crying," the Monado mocked, tracing the blade down the trail the tears left. They pulled it back to hover the tip over his ribs, humming quietly. They tilted their head, gaze flicking down to his chest while the blade was aimed.

In one swift movement, it was jabbed just below his ribs, then twisted. White, searing pain consumed Dunban, encompassing his reality for an endless moment. His mind clouded, and unconsciousness crept into the edges of his awareness. Just before he slipped, it receded, the safety of sleep escaping him.

"I can't have you leaving in the middle of your payment, Dunban," their echoing voice hissed in his ear, dragging him back to clarity. "Look at me when you are in my presence!" 

Dunban forced his eyes to focus as much as they could on the Monado. Their face was inches away from his, but pulled away as soon as he realized it.

"Good. Just a little bit longer, now."

They stood up straight, and silently inspected their work. The Monado wiped their hands through the blood on his face, then put their fingers in their mouth. They closed their eyes, sighing in some sick enjoyment.

"If only this was your real blood," they mused, taking a few steps out of his line of sight, "Real offerings were always better payments than this. Oh well, I can make do with this."

The dagger was removed, and Dunban tasted copper in his mouth. Every breath felt sharp and wet, like blood was pooling inside his chest. Somehow, Dunban managed to register the Monado making slow, precise cuts on his legs. There was an occasional pause while a hand was dragged across an injury. Once, they dug a nail into a cut, and the pain made white spots appear in his vision. He silently begged for it to be over.

"This should do for a bit." They came back into view, red around their lips and free hand covered in blood.

"I'll leave for now, but know this: I will return next time I require payment." They leaned in close to his face, their lips brushing his forehead. "This was fun. Enjoy your sleep, ambitious wielder of the Monado."

Just like that, they were gone, and Dunban shot up with a desperate gasp and a barely restrained cry of anguish. He trembled violently, his lungs and heart screaming as if he ran a marathon. A short glance down to himself revealed no blood or injuries, despite how real the encounter had felt. His body slowly calmed down, but he simply sat there, staring at his hands. Phantom pains faded as if the event had never occurred, the only evidence of the ordeal being the wetness on his cheeks and the memory that he knew would keep him up until daybreak.

This was going to be a repeat occurrence. He was going to be plagued by nightmares caused by the Monado, of being tortured by a mocking entity.

And he wasn't going to do anything about it, not when he was the only one that could use the blade that struck down Mechon as if they were nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'm trying to improve certain aspects of my writing, so hopefully the writing quality is improved this time!  
> Chapter 3 is in the works, and i'm aiming for updating again in about a week's time.  
> As always, comments are appreciated! As well, let me know if you think there's something I didn't tag/warn for that you think I should have. We may be here for violent Dunban angst, but I believe in the practice of ensuring people know what they're signing up for.


	3. Offering (A brief reprive)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Monado allows Dunban a moment of rest, and an offering is made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No outright violence this chapter (sorry!) But I'll list trigger warnings for what there is anyways.  
> Warnings for: Self harm (in a ritualistic manner), descriptions of blood, and Zanza being just a little bit possessive.

CHAPTER 3, OFFERING (A BRIEF REPRIEVE)

The next few months were, quite frankly, awful.

At least every week, the entity that was the Monado would appear as Dunban slept, and inflict horrible pain on him. Between that, and the strain of training with the sword that constantly shocked him and fought him daily, he had to endure far more stress than he had been prepared for.

This... did not help him keep healthy sleeping habits. 

The idea of sleep brought anxiety, and with that, a habit of simply staying awake to avoid the late night torment. He would sleep eventually, knowing he needed the rest for his training, but giving in would inevitably subject him to another nightmare of blood and pain.

Dunban sat in the kitchen, resigned to another night of anxiously refusing sleep. Bionis forbid sleep be the restful activity it was for Fiora.

Speaking of Fiora...

"Are you not sleeping again?" she asked from the stairs, worry clear on her face.

"I'm just not tired yet. I'll go to bed soon."

Fiora descended the stairs in response. "Yeah, right. Here, I'll make you some tea. It should help you sleep."

"Fiora, it's fine, really, you don't have to mother me," Dunban protested.

"Says the one always worrying about me," she said. "I wanted to make myself some tea anyways."

Dunban sighed in defeat. When Fiora set her mind on doing something for him, it was impossible to convince her otherwise. She filled the kettle with water and set it on the stove to heat up, then sat across from him at the table.

"You've been having those nightmares ever since you started training with the Monado," she commented.

"They're just stress dreams, and a rare occasion at that."

Fiora folded her arms on the table. "I can hear you when they wake you up, you know."

_Damn._ "It's nothing to worry about. I apologize for waking you up."

"I'm not asking for an apology Dunban, I just can't stand watching you pretend you're fine!"

"I _am_ fine, Fiora! You needn't worry for me."

"You aren't fine! You didn't sleep last night either." Fiora sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm just really worried about you..."

"I don't mean to worry you. I'll try sleeping after the tea, does that sound fair?"

"Yeah. Thank you, but maybe if your sleeping problems keep up, you could talk to the doctor?" Fiora suggested,

"I'll consider it." The chances of him actually doing so were slim to none, but there was no need to say that to her.

"Great!" With that, she got up to tend to the tea.

A few moments later, a steaming cup of tea was placed in front of him.

"Here. Maybe you could take it up to bed with you, in case you get tired before you finish it."

Knowing it was less of a suggestion and more of an order, Dunban picked up the mug and rose from his seat. "I assume you'll be doing the same?"

"Once I tidy up. Goodnight, Dunban," Fiora smiled warmly at him.

Not surprised by what was surely an attempt to make sure he actually went to bed, he bid her goodnight as well, and ascended the stairs to his bed.

* * *

The tea, once he actually got around to drinking it, managed to help ease the anxious knot in his chest that was keeping him alert and awake. He opened a book to read, fully intending to ignore the growing exhaustion in favor of putting off another nightmare, but the words began to blur and he drifted off.

Awareness began to return to him some time later. As was typical with his nightmares, he found himself lucid enough to recognize he was sleeping. But in contrast to the typical nightmares, he found the sensation of fingers gently running through his hair in a strangely relaxing motion. He lay on a soft surface with his head on someone's lap, and when he opened his eyes, he discovered the culprit was the Monado.

The two were in an ornate room, with silver walls that had gold lines weaving across it. The soft surface turned out to be a plush couch, and and across from them was a large four poster bed, with black curtains that had white speckles like stars. An orb of light hovered in the center of the ceiling, giving everything a faint gold tint. Dunban had never seen anything decorated in such an extravagant way; the Homs habit of reusing whatever they could find for resources tended to not allow for that.

"What are you doing?" Dunban asked. He began to sit up, but the Monado put a hand against his forehead and pushed him back down.

"Stop moving, you ungrateful worm," they snapped, glaring down at him. 

Dunban stilled, warily looking up at them. At least they didn't appear to have any visible weapons, but that meant little. The Monado returned to playing with his hair, though a bit more stiffly.

"I decided I should reward you somewhat for your dedication to training, and for not refusing to allow me to take my payments."

"Reward me?" Dunban frowned, "Should I still expect the typical... violence, later?" 

"Hmm... Not tonight, no. I cannot run you dry so soon after all, you still have an important role to play. I will say that you've shown more determination to use my power than most. It hardly takes much for me to scare off the unworthy, and yet you still persist on calling forth the power of the divine."

"While your tormenting isn't my first choice, it's tolerable so long as I can use the Monado." He paused. "What 'role' do you speak of?"

"I see you're intrigued." The Monado relaxed, tenderly brushing a stray hair out of his face. "Should you stay on this path, enjoying the blessings I'm granting you, you shall become a hero to the people of Bionis. Hero of the Homs, He Who Slays Mechon."

Dunban's eyes widened. "A hero, huh?" He couldn't deny the idea was appealing; if he was a hero as the Monado described, that meant he could fight the ever-present threat of Mechon.

"Correct. So long as you are able to fight and continue allowing me to take payments, you shall hold mighty divine power in your hand. However..."

"However?"

"If I were to receive willing offerings, perhaps I could offer you more use of my blade than what is at your disposal. I would expect the offerings to be a repeated occurrence, of course."

"You... want me to make you offerings," he said, dumbfounded.

The Monado flicked his forehead. "I grant you more than I take, you know. It's the least you could do if you wish for more."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Good. Now relax and enjoy the reward I am graciously giving you."

Dunban rubbed his forehead, and they returned to running their fingers through his hair. They began to hum a melodic tone that was foreign to him, while carefully untangling his hair. It was unreasonably relaxing, considering the entity was usually cutting him open and finding new ways to inflict pain upon him.

The humming eventually turned to gentle singing, and Dunban knew he wouldn't be able to recall the words when he awoke. The echo of the Monado's voice made it sound less like one person singing alone, and more like a small choir singing what might have been a lullaby. He had a feeling that this was less of a 'reward,' and more of the spirit simply being in the mood for a more gentle, if somewhat unnerving, interaction with Dunban. Or perhaps they wanted to make sure he wouldn't run himself ragged trying to deal with the nightmares and the constant training with the physical Monado.

Even though he was practically in the jaws of a beast, the gentle singing and repetitive motion of fingers carding through his hair lulled him into a light sleep. S _urely this is some kind of trap_ _,_ he thought drowsily, but couldn't find it in him to reject this rare moment of calm. If the Monado decided to use the chance to catch him off guard, then so be it.

Fortunately, that moment never came, and he was free to drift off to the lullaby of the divine Monado.

* * *

Monado sheathed on his side and the sky beginning to dim, Dunban headed into Tephra Cave.

The Monado had requested an offering, and if he could get something useful out of it, it was worth a shot.

The caves held many monsters and few people, making them a perfect place to attempt offering something without anyone else noticing what he was doing. The last thing he needed right now was the defense force deciding he was unfit to wield it on the _quite reasonable_ grounds that it was _probably_ not a good sign of his mental state, if he was trying to make offerings to a bloody _sword._

The caves were dim and quiet, the only sounds being that of the creatures scurrying around and the echo of water dripping. It didn't take long to locate an out of the way tunnel with some cave bunnit, and even less time to cut a few down with a spare katana. What kind of offering he should make and how was never specified, but Dunban was no stranger to improvisation. 

Considering it took 'payments' in the form of violence and past musings of blood offerings, he could assume that trying to make an offering of some kind of blood would be acceptable.

He watched the blood from the slain bunnit pool. Some kind of instinct told him to dip the Monado in the puddle, and so he obeyed, unsheathing the red blade.

For a reason Dunban couldn't understand, it drew the blood towards itself, the thick liquid creeping into the crevices of the sword and vanishing. It hummed its approval in his hand, the glowing blue lines on it brightening slightly, illuminating the walls and floor. But he sensed it wasn't enough of an offering. The blade wanted more.

Without thinking, he took the katana in his left hand, and cut himself across his lower right arm. Warm blood trailed down his arm and to his hand. Numbly, he lowered his right arm and watched it flow onto the hilt of the Monado. A blurry moment passed before it activated without warning in his hand, the typical electricity dashing up his arm and numbing his body. The blade of light sprung to life and shifted to a light purple, and with it, a strange symbol appeared in the glass pane. His arms lifted the sword without his input and slashed it across open air, then a cloud of ether surrounded him as the swing finished.

_Monado Enchant,_ the voice of the Monado whispered in the back of his mind. The words themselves held little meaning to him yet, but Dunban assumed he would discover that later.

It was a new power, one that would surely assist him in the fight against Mechon. His heart thrummed with excitement.

He lowered his arms, and the sharp sting of his injury broke him out of his trance. Realizing what he had done, he could only sigh at the blood and silently thank himself for remembering to bring a small medical kit. He would have to cite it as being caught off guard while training. 

He couldn't let Fiora worry more about him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Somehow this is my longest chapter yet? Which is odd, considering I expected it to be the shortest. I hope you enjoyed it anyways!  
> I promise the last two chapters will have plenty of angst and torture for poor Dunban. I have Plans ;)
> 
> Also, as there are times of Dunban being tormented 'offscreen,' let me know if you want disconnected oneshots! I certainly can think up more things than I'm actually including in this fic.  
> You can imagine Zanza singing whatever you'd like, but I was listening to [this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42IDlO_qAfA&ab_channel=Ridiculon-Topic) and [this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46OuQAzUnVg&ab_channel=LuxiaK.) while I was writing that scene, if you were curious :D


	4. Payment in Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Monado teaches Dunban two Arts, then decides to take extra payment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo boy this is going to be a lot more bloody than chapters 1 & 2\. This is solidly the most intense chapter so far, and potentially overall.  
> That said, here's trigger warnings!  
> TW: Gore, like quite a bit, disembowelling, Zanza being extra creepy and really into torturing Dunban, dissociating? 'Mild' cannibalism. Mentions of vomit, but it's not really focused on.

The Monado waited a week before invading Dunban's dreams again.

This time, they brought him to an open grassy plain, somewhere higher up on the Bionis. He surveyed his surroundings, stunned by how different it was from Colony 9 and the Bionis Leg. The head of the Bionis was in clear view, and the Mechonis loomed in the distance. Behind him was towering arcs of stone, and he could just barely spot a waterfall from his elevated position. Clouds filled the space between Bionis and Mechonis, hiding the endless sea underneath, but the sky above was clear, the sun fading and making way for night.  
When he turned back towards the Mechonis, the Monado appeared at his side as if they had been there the entire time, gazing out across the ocean.

"You made a smart choice, in making that offering," they said.  
"Is that so?"  
"Correct. Offerings like that benefit me, which means they will end up benefiting you. For example, it makes it easier to show you this place. Do you enjoy the view?"  
"Yes, quite," Dunban admitted, "I've never been this high up the Bionis."  
"You are lucky that I am generous enough to show you. Few people of the Bionis travel here, these days. It's a shame that disgusting Mechonis taints the view with its presence, though," they sighed, putting a hand under their chin.  
"Hm. I suppose," Dunban responded. The sight of the Mechonis always stirred anxiety in him, the mere sight of it a reminder of the Mechon attacks and lives taken by it. But from here, he almost felt like he was standing eye to eye with it, instead of it towering over him.  
"Well," he continued, "what is your plan for tonight?"  
"Eager, aren't we?" they tilted their head towards him, "I'll give you a moment longer to enjoy my generosity, before we begin."  
He gave a curt nod, and returned his attention to the scenery. Any moment the Monado could decide to cut his enjoyment short, which put quite the stressful edge on trying to take advantage of it.

Just as his he began to be distracted by the view once more, sharp nails trailed down the back of his neck, and his entire body tensed up in response.  
"I think-" they moved their hand down to his right shoulder, "-I shall start by explaining the power I've shown you, then when I am finished with the lesson, I shall take my payment. Though I will warn you: I will be _compensating_ -" nails dug into his bicep, "-for allowing you to skip your payment last time. Do you understand?"  
 _"Yes,"_ Dunban hissed. The illusion of peace was broken.  
"Good."  
They moved to his left side, though kept their grip on his right arm. He was pushed along with them while they walked to a slightly lower and more flat area, away from the cliff he had been nearby before. When they stopped, his arm was released and the spirit went around to his front. Out of nothing they procured the red sword that was their namesake and pressed it into his hand, then produced a duplicate for themself. They then backed up a few meters, giving plenty of room for them to swing the blade without hitting each other.

"First, I will explain Monado Enchant," they said, "this Art enchants the weapons of your nearby allies that cannot normally damage Mechon so that they can inflict damage. As well, it will increase the overall amount of damage dealt to those machines. Does this make sense?"  
"It does. That sounds like it will be a great aid in fighting the Mechon."  
"Of course it is. As the Mechonis is my enemy, it is natural for my weapon to be perfect for fighting against it. Now, I will perform the Art, then you will perform it after."

The Monado took a battle stance, activating the blade of light. It shifted to purple, the symbol from before appearing in the center of the glass panel, and with a cry they swung the blade and created a cloud of ether around them. The haze dusted over his body, and the Monado gave him a look that made him wait for it to dissipate. It dispersed after about half a minute, and with a nod from them, he mirrored their performace.  
Dunban's attempt was imperfect, he felt, but functional nonetheless. He awkwardly called out the Art with "Monado Enchant!" and swung the blade. As he casted it under his own power, the sword tugged at his ether, sending sparks up his arm. He controlled his breath to fight the sudden pain and lowered his arms.

"A good first attempt, Dunban. All thanks to my guidance, of course. Repeat that twice more, then I will teach you one more Art, out of the endless kindness of my heart."  
Dunban decided to ignore how much the Monado's ego.. "I appreciate that, truly."  
Something that almost looked like a smile appeared on their face. "And look, you're learning to respect me too. Perhaps I shall consider rewarding you more often in the future. Anyways, go on and practice."  
Dunban hated to have done something that actually _pleased_ the damn spirit. But he couldn't act on that now, he needed to learn these Arts.

Immediately performing Enchant twice proved more draining than he expected, even though he was dreaming. Panting, he knelt to catch his breath. The Monado stepped forward and leaned down. They put a hand under his chin and tilted his head up, and he realized then how close their face was to his.  
"Good, you didn't swat my hand away this time."  
The hand moved upwards to caress his cheek. They locked eyes for a tense moment, then, the Monado pulled away, and Dunban felt a rush of energy return to him.  
"For the sake of convenience, I will teach you the other power you may use in your battles. Stand," the Monado commanded, making space once again.

Once he rose to his feet, the Monado turned so that Dunban was to their side, and rose their sword.  
"Watch me carefully. This Art is called Monado Buster. It is a mighty attack that will cut down your foes."  
The blade of light extended with a burst of ether, and they slashed it down, cutting it straight through a boulder. They deactivated their sword and glanced at Dunban.  
"Your turn. Perform it twice."

_That was hardly a lesson,_ Dunban thought to himself, biting back the snide comment. As before, he mirrored the Monado's stance, and focused on calling out the attack.  
"Monado Buster!"  
His ether surged through his body and into the growing blade. He slashed it down, cutting a gash into the earth. The light vanished a moment later, and with it, all the energy that had just returned to him. He was winded, but forced himself to stay upright in an attempt to hide exactly how much it affected him.

"Shouldn't you have more stamina than that? Do it again. Show me how much of my power you can handle right now."  
"Give me a moment," he said, voice wavering slightly.  
"No. If you do not perform it now, I will force you to," they threatened.  
"That-" he attempted to straighten his posture, "-is an unreasonable request to ask of me."  
"It is not. You are still standing, correct? Therefore, you have five seconds to perform it yourself."  
"You-"  
"Five."  
He grunted, and attempted to reactivate the blade.  
"Four."  
It began to flicker to life, shooting pain through his nerves with each spark.  
"Three."  
 _Breathe in._ He pushed his scraps of ether into it.  
"Two."  
 _Breathe out._ It wouldn't be enough.  
"One. Too slow."

Numbness washed over his entire body. He couldn't feel it, couldn't even control his eyes or his breathing. He could only watch his body as it performed the Art, ripping out what little shreds of ether he had to spare out of him. It swung violently at the ground, a battle cry tearing out of his throat.  
Control of his body did not return to him once the Art was finished. Rather, it stood up straight and let his arms fall to his side, staring straight forward.  
It was worse than his nights of being paralyzed in bed.

"You know, I do prefer it when you can't talk back like this," the Monado said, moving to his right side to remove the red sword from his hand, "I wish I could have you quiet and compliant like this all the time."  
Absolutely worse. Dunban did everything he could to will his exhausted body to move, but only his fingers twitched in response.  
"I can feel you struggling. I suppose I can release your body back to you. You still need to feel what it's like when you test the limits with my power, and I still need to enjoy taking my payment."  
The sword was pulled out of his hand, and the numbness was replaced with pain lighting up his muscles and nerves. His scream pierced the air and his knees slammed into the ground while he curled into himself. Dark laughter echoed above him, and a kick slammed into his ribs with a crack, and Dunban wheezed as he hit the ground.

"Oh, I've been waiting _days_ to have more fun with you, little Homs."

The Monado nudged him on to his back with their foot. He hissed, squinting up at the glowing spirit. Their copy of the divine blade was replaced with a regular sword- or rather, replaced with a copy of one of Dunban's own that he kept near his bed. An excited smile crept on to their face, and his stomach dropped. They crouched by his right side, a slightly manic laugh bubbling past their lips. They lazily draped the sword across his neck, propping their elbow on a knee and resting their chin on their hand.

"What shall I do to you first?" They said, trailing their gaze across his body. "I've been spending some of my free time thinking up ideas. Let's see..."  
Suddenly, they were on top of him and straddling him. His mind unhelpfully reminded him of the first night he had been tormented, when he had angered the Monado.  
He knew he wouldn't dare trying to make a mistake like that again. Even if he hated the pain in his ribs and twitching muscles and the sword just barely drawing blood from his neck. Even if he knew it would just keep getting worse regardless of how he acted.

A hand fussing with the buttons on his shirt brought him out of his thoughts.

"Wh-what are you-?" he said, voice hoarse.  
"I intend on seeing my work properly, and this pesky thing is in the way."  
They tugged open the buttons with a surprising amount of care, gently undoing each button until the shirt was open. Dunban shivered at the air on his exposed torso.  
He couldn't understand the Monado, how they could be so gentle and yet violent, inflicting their torture upon him with grace and no sign of true hatred. Sometimes anger, yes, but not the hatred he would expect. He despised them, all while their feelings towards him were as blurred as his memory of their features.

He was getting distracted from what was happening. Though, the idea of trying to lose himself in his thoughts during these nights was more and more appealing every time.

"Pay attention to me." Fingers snapped in front of his face.  
He suppressed a flinch. "I am."  
"Good. I prefer when you are."  
They pulled the sword away from his neck and placed it on the ground. With a tilt of their head and a hum, they grabbed his right arm by the wrist and lifted it. Keeping a tight grip on it, they grasped his index finger and tested how far they could push it back before meeting the resistance of the joint. They grinned, and put more pressure on it.

"You know, I've been thinking-"  
 _Snap._ He gasped at the pain flaring in his hand. They moved on to his middle finger.  
"-you're woefully unprepared for simple injuries like this."  
 _Snap._ His ring finger, next.  
"A simple hand injury, and you can't use a sword."  
 _Snap._ "Stop-!"  
"No. This is a teaching moment."  
 _Snap._ His fingers broken, they slammed his hand into the ground, forcing a scream out of him. His body convulsed in pain, but the weight of the Monado held him down.

"If this had happened in reality, you would be stuck waiting for it to heal," they said. One hand was placed on his right shoulder, near his neck, and the other on his upper arm. "Unless of course, you bothered to train your other arm."  
His heart pounded in his chest. Their grip tightened, then, they yanked. His arm popped out of the joint and he screamed, legs kicking and other arm shooting up to claw at them. The pain from the dislocated joint made his broken fingers feel tame in comparison.  
The Monado was unfazed by his attempts to struggle. Instead, they silently pinned his uninjured to the ground, and waited for him to stop writhing.  
Even if he was willing to risk invoking anger by intentionally fighting, Dunban felt too weak from the earlier training with the Monado to even attempt. Not even his adrenaline was enough to fight them off, exhausted muscles straining against their weight and sending pain through his shoulder.

Eventually, he was able to keep his shaking body from blindly flailing. They brushed their fingers through his hair, saying words of encouragement that he barely registered.  
"-There you go, very good, very good. You're tolerating this lesson well."  
He blinked up at them in confusion, unable to form any kind of response. This was new. It was impossible to tell if they were mocking him or genuinely trying to comfort him.  
No answer would come. Instead the Monado rose and took their sword in hand again, standing at his side. A quiet sigh left them, though a strange smile was painted on their face.  
"Let us move along to the part I've been waiting for. The real payment!" Their lips drew back in a wild grin, and they swung the blade.  
It sliced down his abdomen, cutting through his skin like paper. Pain, searing pain enveloped him, robbing him of his senses. All he could hear was the Monado's laughter, reaching his mind through his screams.  
"No, no! Stop!" He could barely register himself begging. Self preservation took over everything else, making him blindly try to push himself away from them.  
"Stop moving! Look at me!" They commanded, and their heel crashed down on his hand. Dunban stared up at them, tears leaking from his eyes, moaning in agony.  
They plunged their sword into his chest, again and again. Then, they tossed the weapon to the side, and reached into the gaping wound.  
"Have you ever wondered what the inside of a Homs looks like?" they said, glee evident in their voice. A sharp tug, and Dunban was lost to torment again.

When any semblance of clarity returned, a wet hand was stroking his face. Forcing his eyes open was a struggle, wanting nothing more than to just return to darkness. But when he managed, the face of the Monado filled his vision. Wide blue eyes bore into his, mouth still fixed into a deranged grin. They drew back, and Dunban realized he was propped up slightly on their knees.  
"I want you to see my work."  
They tilted his head forwards with the damp hand, and what he saw made him want to throw up.  
Pulled out through the wound was a tangled mess of intestines, spilling out over his stomach and on to the ground. His body was a sea of red, sticky wet blood covering everything.  
"Wh..." He had no words, his mind only held horror at what the Monado did to him. They lowered his head back down, leaving him to blankly gaze up at them.  
He struggled to put his thoughts in any order, comprehension and solid ideas slipping like sand through his fingers. It was like he simply couldn't register what was happening to him any more, mind trying to focus on anything else. His body was miles away from him. He was just watching now, as it randomly convulsed in agony and made broken sobs.

In his delirious state, for some reason, he anchored himself to the sight of the Monado. The soft glow that surrounded them. The blur that hid the finer details. Blond hair that framed their face. The melodic rhythm of their voice when they spoke, even if he couldn't make heads or tails of any words right now. Red that stood out against the pale skin of their face and the white of their clothing.  
They said something he couldn't make out, and turned their face down towards his injury. Fingers crept into the wound and pulled at something else, removing whatever was in their grip. His body arched, a choked scream scraped his throat. When it stilled again, still so distant, he felt them move his head slightly to analyze his face, presumably to check his awareness.  
By Bionis, he wished he wasn't still aware.  
They lifted their hand, holding- something he refused to think about- up to his lips. A finger pushed into his mouth and pried it open. The warm and wet thing in their hand was pressed further into his mouth, and a sharp metallic taste coated his tongue. Revulsion overcame him and he started to choke and cough, acidic bile rising in his throat. Thankfully, the Monado was merciful enough to remove it, though they laughed at him.

"Do you not like the taste?" they mocked, lifting it up to their own face, "A shame. _I love_ it."  
They bit into it, and-

* * *

Strong hands held Dunban firmly in place as he struggled, his fogged brain focused only on survival. He yelled and kicked at the body holding him.  
"No! No! No more! Leave me alone!" If he had to endure more torment, if he had to endure more of _that_ -  
His stomach lurched, and he twisted to the side. The hands relented so he could retch over the side of the bed.  
Wait, bed?

He coughed, wiped traces of bile from his mouth, then rolled on to his back. His eyes focused, and he could finally register the almost-worried face of Dickson leaning over him, and the definitely-worried face of Fiora behind him. His sister was practically on the verge of tears.  
"Sorry..." he croaked out, "Fiora, do you think you could get me some water?"  
"Sure," she nodded, voice wobbling. He waited until she began to descend the stairs to try and sit up. A pain shot through his right arm that he couldn't pinpoint the source of and a wave of dizziness hit him, forcing him back down. Dickson pulled over a nearby chair and set it beside the bed to use.  
Dickson sighed and rubbed his chin. "Had a pretty bad nightmare there, eh?"  
"You could say that."  
"Fiora's mentioned that you've been having them a lot, but that tonight has been the worst she's seen. Why didn't you mention they've still been happening before?"  
Dunban looked away. "Night terrors are hardly something to concern you about. And it's not that often, anyways."  
"I see how it is. The Beast can't let anyone know he's a Homs."  
Dunban snorted. "Can you blame me? They're relying on me to use the Monado. I have to keep proving I can handle it."  
"Aye, I see where you're coming from. However..." Dickson leaned forward, giving Dunban a sly grin, "Maybe you should at least sleep with your window closed, if you're gonna scream like that. I could hear you screaming bloody murder from outside."  
He flicked his gaze up to the window and winched. Dickson was right, he had mistakenly left it wide open before going to sleep. "By the Bionis, please tell me you're the only one who heard."  
"At this hour? Just me, Fiora, and a very confused Nopon."  
"Which one?"  
"One that'll happily stay quiet for a bit of cash."

Dunban chuckled. The knot of terror had begun to loosen, his shaking body slowly calming down thanks to Dickson distracting him. Now, if only he could get the memory of the blood filled nightmare out of his head, the events repeating in his mind.  
He heard Fiora return with the water, and barely managed to prop himself up to try and take the glass. But his attempt was interrupted by Dickson taking him by the shoulders and helping push him up into a sitting position. The man slid onto the now open space, shoving his pillow aside to make room for himself. He supported Dunban so he could sit up and drink properly, a gesture which he silently thanked him for.

"I think Dunban should take the day off, don't you think Fiora?"  
Fiora nodded, "Yeah, I think that would be for the best. You've barely had one since you started training with the Monado!"  
"Come on now-" he protested, only to be interrupted by Dickson patting his shoulder.  
"It's official, then. You're staying home today. The Monado can wait until tomorrow."  
"I haven't agreed-"  
Ignoring him, Dickson continued. "Fiora, why don't you go tell the colonel, eh? Let him know it was my idea, and he can take it up with me if he has any problems with it."  
"Understood! I'll be back soon. Make sure Dunban stays in bed!"  
Dunban groaned, watching his sister leave. Oh, how she cared for him, so much so that she'd argue with Vangarre to get him a day off against his own will.

"Aw, c'mon, a day off isn't so bad," Dickson said, beginning to rub small circles into Dunban's shoulders. It was surprising at first, but he found it quickly relaxing, a nice contrast to what the Monado had done earlier.  
"I have one bad nightmare and you decide I can't leave the house."  
"No, you had, what, twenty bad nightmares? I've seen how you're getting worn down. Even a beast needs breaks, got it? Besides, I'll stick here with you until your sister gets back from dealing with Vangarre."  
Dunban sighed, giving up and leaning back into the massage. "Well, the sentiment is appreciated. Thank you, Dickson."  
"Anytime. Now shut up and relax."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the extra violence this chapter! I actually ended up almost entirely scrapping my original plan for this chapter, the main thing i kept was what I wanted Zanza to do to Dunban. I'll probably end up working in some of the original plan into chapter 5. But we're almost done! As always, I love to hear your comments, and if you'd be interested in oneshots of stuff with dunban and zanza, let me know!

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Kudos are always welcome! Please feel free to ask me things about this or just ramble about anything, i love comments!  
> Vaguely attempting to update on saturdays or sundays! This isn't a guarantee but this is the update timeline i've set for myself.  
> Edit: Im currently in the middle of redrafting chapter 5 and adding a chapter 6, because I got carried away from my original oneshot idea by a Lot. Sorry for the long wait between 4 and 5!


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